The Book Fair is HERE!

This morning the children began their day in the computer lab with Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Dodson since the media center is being used for the book fair.  Students did not do a book exchange.  They can return their books next week.  While in the lab they learned about, and previewed, a site called Kids Blog.

When they returned to class we created two word splashes to guide our discourse.  One was for time and the other for basic facts. 

After that we began our math rotations.  Students working with me used an analog clocks to practice telling time to the minute.  We investigated what happens to the hour hand as the minute hand moves closer to the 12.  I also shared a quick strategy for remembering which hand is the hour and which is the minute.  Minute is a longer word, so it is also the longer hand.

During guided practice students practiced writing the time correctly and then comparing times with a partner as they played the game, Time Crunch.

Finally, during the technology rotation, the children solved word problem using Thinking Blocks multiplication.

There is a telling time worksheet for HOMEWORK.

Our math block was interrupted and shortened, a bit, so that we could visit the book fair.  Children will be bringing home their wish lists this evening.

We began our reading and writing block with another Junior Great Books tale called, The Banza.

Then students returned to their seats to begin reading group assignments and this week's tasks while I met with a few children for writing conferences and then moved on to meeting with reading groups.

This weeks tasks include viewing an Educreations lesson about writing the third paragraph for the issue Inquiry project.  This paragraph is informing about the arguments against their issue.  The second assignment is to watch a Discovery Education video about different types of resources and economic choices.  The children to have a capture sheet to complete, too.  Finally, all students will read the Latin American tale called The Silly Armadillo.  They will compete a story map (ungraded) to reflect upon the text.  Then they will identify how they use context clues and provide support, from the tale, to explain the theme.  These two items will be graded.

As has been the case for the past two weeks, these assignments will be due on Friday.  Anything not turned in, and not discussed with me, will receive an N.  Additionally, the only additions or changes to their independent work will be reading group tasks.

Sharks:  We began readin group with word work.  We wrote a word chain focusing on the -ai spelling pattern.  After that, we previewed their new text, The Rabbit and the Coyote, and I did a quick book introduction.  Then we read pages 2-5.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread pages 2-5, working on fluency.

Following lunch and outdoor recess the students continued their independent work while I met with more groups.

Dolphins:  We began with word work, creating a chain using the -ink spelling pattern.  After that we used a graphic organizer to identify the plot as the events leading from the problem, with the rising events moving towards the climax, and then the falling action leading, to the solution.  Next we identified the characters, setting and problem from the book Jack and the Beanstalk.  For HOMEWORK the children need to reread the book, working on fluency.

Cheetahs:  The students reread The Banza and marked places with a ? where they had questions in their head.  In group, after practicing short vowel sounds by creating word chains, we shared and discussed their questions.  For HOMEWORK the students need to reread The Banza.

Pandas: The students reread The Banza and marked places with a ? where they had questions in their head. In group we shared and discussed their questions. For HOMEWORK the students need to reread The Banza.

We ended the day by reading about the natural resources found in Maryland via Maryland's web site.